ISTANBUL

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on Monday expressed their mutual interest in maintaining political and economic contacts on various levels, as the foreign ministers of the two countries met in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital.

“The ministers expressed mutual interest in maintaining regular political and economic contacts at the level of heads of state, parliaments, and governments of the two countries,” said a statement by the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry, following talks between Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev and his Kazakh counterpart Murat Nurtleu.

The statement said the talks focused on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, including the construction of an industrial trade and logistics complex, the elimination of barriers to mutual trade, and ensuring the free movement of goods and maintaining a “stable situation” on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border.

It said: “As a result of the negotiations, J. Kulubaev and M. Nurtleu signed a Cooperation Program between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2024-2026.”

The statement added that Kulubaev and Nurtleu exchanged views on their countries’ interaction “within the framework of international and regional organizations.”

Nurtleu also held talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, during which they discussed further developing and deepening of Kyrgyz-Kazakh cooperation, as well as intensifying trade and economic activities.

According to a statement by the Kyrgyz presidency, Japarov emphasized that there should be no unresolved issues between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.